


Three Is Not A Magic Number

by elijahluv



Category: Take That (Band)
Genre: M/M, Masturbation, Rating: M, Semi-Public Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 19:36:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19026535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elijahluv/pseuds/elijahluv
Summary: Jason leaving has caused Mark to look at his relationship with him in a different way.





	Three Is Not A Magic Number

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on TakeThatSlash at LiveJournal but seeing as nobody seems to be around there anymore I took the plunge and made an account here. Feedback is greatly appreciated!

They don’t talk about it. Not ever. It’s never mentioned and Mark almost wants to scream. He so badly needs to talk about it because if he doesn’t he’s pretty certain one day he’s going to say something he’ll regret. 

But he can’t. He can’t talk to Gary because he’ll just dismiss it; rather let it wallow than actually have an emotional chat about it. He’s too scared to talk to Howard because he’s worried he might cry because Mark is pretty certain Howard was hurt the most by it all. 

Jason. 

Mark didn’t know when, whether or not he always felt like this and just ignored it but all of a sudden he misses him. And not just misses him he misses him. 

He has no clue how this all snuck up on him. When Jason left it was sad, of course he was upset but he never felt so empty about it until a few weeks back. Thirty years of music, of laughter and troubles. He’s not there, and Mark feels empty. 

But it works, it really works. The three of them are so good together, some would even argue Take That are as good as they have ever been, after all albums keep selling, tours keep happening, the fans are still screaming and singing along. The trouble with odd numbers, Mark realizes, is that there is always going to be a third wheel and while he knows Gary and Howard love him and ultimately they are all best mates it’s him that’s the odd one out. 

He thinks back, because that’s what you do when you get to middle age, you start to look back to your youth to work out how in the hell you ended up where you were. He liked Jay, always did. He never had a bad word to say about him; mind you Mark never had a bad word to say about anyone really. 

Back then, in those hazy teenage years Mark was only really close to Rob. Not that he wasn’t close to the others but he and Rob did everything together and the other three seemed quite alright with that, content on just letting them get on with it. He always puts it down to an age thing, he and Rob were so young, both probably a bit immature with still so much to learn and because of that he never really connected with the others, at least not on a level anywhere above band mates.

But even then he thought very fondly of Jason, he had so much respect for him. It’s no secret that he wasn’t really a singer, but dancing...oh yes dancing was where he shone. So handsome as well, Mark looks back and almost gets embarrassed that it was him who always got the most fan mail, the most girls screaming. He was the ‘cute’ one, the one who you could take home to meet your parents and they’d coo at him and think he was perfect for their daughter. If only they knew what innocent little Mark Owen used to get up to behind closed doors. 

They all had labels though, back then. It went with the territory really. The funny one. The smart one. The sexy one. The talented one. 

The fact of the matter is as far as Mark was concerned if you took personality and talent and passion out of the equation and just judged them based on what they looked like Jason was the sexy one by miles. 

When the band split he kind of knew he wouldn’t really stay in touch with the others, not because he didn’t like them or anything but just because he didn’t have any reason to. He had nothing to say to them, every conversation he had with them was somehow related to the band and now that was gone what could he possibly talk about? So yeah I suppose Rob was the only one who was his true friend really. 

Even so, Robbie was far too busy. They did text and email but did they ever make an effort to actually see each other? No. 

And that’s what really annoys Mark because he really thought they were closer than that. Especially given Howard and Gary still saw each other, quite a bit he thinks. As for Jason? He hadn’t a clue. He knows he did a bit of acting but what he did in regards to everyone else he hadn’t the foggiest. Robbie and him were clearly not going to be pen pals but he often wondered if Jay ever reached out to Howard. He must have done, I mean he doesn’t know for sure, he never really asked but Mark is certain if Jason was ever going to stay in touch with anyone it would be Howard. 

And then they get back together, and boy do they get back together. Biggest comeback in pop music history is what people say. Mark was terrified if he was honest, it was pretty obvious from the get go that Rob was not going to come back so here he was, going to see three people who he hadn’t spoken to in God knows how long, feeling a bit sick at the thought that maybe he still wouldn’t have anything to talk about with them. 

But he’s wrong because it is so easy. They laugh and smile and don’t bloody stop talking. They all look older naturally, maybe a bit wiser? Howard will say something and Gary will laugh uncontrollably, an inside joke between the two of them, which makes Mark smile but also get a slight pang of jealousy because he knows if Rob was here they’d be doing the same thing. 

But there’s Jason. 

And Mark realizes very quickly that he needs to stop thinking about Rob, because after all even contact with him has come to a grinding halt, and he should just bloody well make a new friend. 

And he doesn’t mind, Jason is just so warm and nice. It’s such a horrible word, nice. Really doesn’t do the man justice but it doesn’t take long for him and Mark to get into their own rhythm, have their jokes. And boom just like that the awesome foursome is born. He grows close to Gary, realizes that actually the two of them have way more in common than he first thought and strikes up a bond with Howard that he’s sure will last forever. 

And they sky rocketed, completely. It was the most successful the band had ever been. Beautiful World happened, giving Mark ‘Shine’ which little did he know at the time would soon be his big song. Then came The Circus and that was just the biggest high. They all became so in sync with each other. It was no longer Gary writing away on his own whilst the others all stood in the background, trying to look sexy or moody or whatever it was the song required. They were all equals, all sharing the same experience and Mark had the time of his life. 

But then the inevitable happened. Robbie came back. And Mark thought it was so great, finally they were all back where they belonged, all five of them, only this time they could all get on and have a laugh and there wouldn’t be any loyalties to anyone, no picking sides. 

I suppose really they shouldn’t have been surprised when Jason announced his departure. Mark thinks back. Progress. 

Something definitely shifted, all of a sudden Take That weren’t four best mates sharing the spotlight. It was the Gary and Robbie show. He didn’t notice at the time, too overjoyed at having his old mate back, but he should have. I mean it’s fucking obvious now. 

Mark is always going to get some attention; he was the most popular back in the day. The little one who you could easily spot out of the bunch but now that Mr Williams had slotted his massive presence back into proceedings it did throw the whole ‘equal’ vibe completely out of whack. 

Howard is pretty mellow, always has been. Never one to really get upset with anyone, because he’s shy is Howard so he genuinely doesn’t mind not being centre of attention but Jason? 

Mark looks back at that tour and Jason never even got a moment. No moment to just shine all by himself and soak up a bit of the applause. It’s sad, if he wasn’t so wrapped up in Rob maybe he’d of noticed, maybe he’d of been able to keep Jason there but it was too late.

They don’t hear anything, not really. They get the occasional email if their lucky, never anything personal though, just a courteous good luck. So they don’t talk about him. 

Neither does anyone else, even interviewers have stopped mentioning him, almost like he never existed. Mark just doesn’t understand. The fans even seem to never mention him much either, and again Mark just doesn’t see why they all fawn over him when you had fucking Jason too gorgeous to be real Orange stood next to him. 

They’d just finished their last show at the 02, another roaring crowd and buzz of adrenaline that he always gets when he performs live shows. He goes back to his dressing room, because that’s one thing that has changed, they all have their own rooms now. Mark can’t remember why that started but he’s pretty sure he remembers them all still getting changed together only a few years back, unless he imagined it. 

He sighs to himself as he collapses on the sofa, trying to relax as the past two hours on stage ring in his head. He wants to talk about it. Needs to. 

He stands up, heading towards Gary’s dressing room next door. He doesn’t bother knocking because well that is one thing that hasn’t changed. He wishes he had though because the sight he sees when he opens the door is not a pretty one. Well actually it probably is to some, Gary and Howard are both absolutely ravishing in their own right but it’s not every day you catch your two mates shagging, he makes a loud gasp and both their heads snap around, hearing his presence. 

He rushes out of the room, quick as he can as both men start rambling at him, pleading at him not to say anything to Dawn or Katie. As if he would ever be one to judge after the mess he made of his own marriage. 

He charges back to his own room, locking the door for the first time just in case they follow him. They don’t and Mark realizes it’s because they have already gone back to having sex. 

He wishes Jason was here. 

And then it dawns on Mark. He’s hard. And it’s not because he fancies Howard or Gary, or because he saw them having sex, it’s because he wants to do the same thing with Jason. Mark isn’t into blokes, never was. He doesn’t look at them like that, never even looked at Rob like that despite what people think. But right now he’s hard and thinking about Jay and wanting nothing more than to shag him senseless. 

He palms himself through his trousers, and that really is pathetic because he’s a grown man and one of the benefits of being a grown up male is that you should be able to not get an unwanted erection at just the thought of a secret sexual desire. But now that he knows that’s what he wants he can’t stop, shoving his hand into his boxers to grasp and tug and just feel. 

He comes in his pants. He hasn’t done that since he was nineteen. God it was embarrassing. 

And now he’s opened Pandora’s Box, now he knows why he misses Jason. He loves him. 

***

They’re in Birmingham next. Mark hasn’t mentioned what he saw and neither has either of the others, it’s just something they would rather not discuss but it just goes to show how right Mark was. He is the third wheel. 

They have twenty minutes before they have to go on and Mark is trying desperately to figure out how he can see Jason. He has no number or address for him, heck he’s not even sure if he’s in the country. But he can’t go on like this, wanting and needing. He needs to see him, just talk to him. Nobody thought Jason leaving the band would mean he would just disappear off the face of the earth. He needs to talk to Howard. 

He marches down the hall, stopping briefly at Howard’s door, this time knocking. 

“It’s open!” Is the gruff response he gets as he opens the door, thankful that Gary is nowhere to be found and it is just Howard, staring in the mirror, absent mindingly running his fingers through his hair. It makes Mark smile, How and his hair, those dreads really were awful. He thinks they only reason he got them was just so people would stop getting him and Jason confused. 

“You alright Mark?” He asks bringing him out of his daze. 

“Erm...” he stops, not quite sure what to say. He hadn’t really thought this through. 

“Is it about me and Gary?” Howard asks, noticing his friends’ hesitation. “Because we never intended-“

“Do you have Jason’s number?” 

“What?” Howard blinks, perplexed at even the mention of his ex band mates name. “Why?”

“I want to talk to him,” Mark says, although now he wishes he hadn’t because as he always suspected Howard looks like he’s about to cry, maybe Mark wasn’t the only one missing him? 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

And that’s it, Mark respects that. After all they have a show to do and by the sound of Rick Astley belting out ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ they are due on any minute. He leaves Howard’s room and wonders briefly if maybe there was ever anything more than just friendship between the two dancers, because clearly Howard is in some kind of sexual relationship with Gary; it’s very possible he once had that with Jay too. 

They do the show, another performance in the can that Mark can take pride in, knowing the crowd had a great time and that he and everyone else on stage did too. He hadn’t given much thought to his conversation with Howard until Gary storms into his room twenty minutes after the show. He doesn’t knock either, Mark thinks. Some things really will never change. 

“What did you say to Howard?” Gary gets right to the point, never one to really beat around the bush. 

“Why?” Mark asks, he never intended to upset his friend, especially not Howard, who was such a loveable dope. He hadn’t given it much thought, mainly because the show went just as it always did. Howard was fine, although maybe it was just a performance. 

“He’s upset,” Gary confirms it. “He’s talking about Jay.” 

“I just asked if I could have his number Gaz,” Mark explains, suddenly not wanting to talk about this with Gary now that he knows what he and Howard have been doing. Possibly for years, maybe even back when they used to bunk together in the early days. 

“He’s really hurt by it all Mark,” Gary says softly. “Jay was like his brother, he doesn’t understand why he doesn’t talk to him anymore.” 

“I didn’t think,” he says quietly, “I just thought that maybe if anyone had any idea-“

“Yeah well,” Gary interrupts, making to leave the room. “Just don’t talk about it anymore ok?”

And then it’s back to where he started, they don’t talk about it. Only now Mark is absolutely convinced that if he doesn’t speak to Jason soon he will most definitely start drinking again, or worse. He could try his Mum, Jason’s family have been nothing but supportive of the three of them, they even come out and watch the shows occasionally, but then again Jason was always a bit of a loner, as if he would ever actually tell his parents or any of his siblings that he was leaving the country. 

He tries to do a Google search; apparently Jason has been seen out and about in the Lake District. Oh the irony. Of course Mark would never think Jason would be out and about around his doorstep, well his old doorstep. Mark’s marriage completely broke down after his alcoholism took over, not to mention all the one night stands he had behind Emma’s back. But he still visits frequently; he has three kids for crying out loud he’s always there. That saddens him. If Jay really was in the area he would have visited him if he wanted, clearly he had no interest in seeing Mark. 

He’s brought out of his thoughts as Howard is next to enter his room. Also no knocking. Sod it if they aren’t going to knock he won’t anymore. Except he will, because he really doesn’t want to walk in on them having sex again. 

“Here,” Howard walks right up to him, placing a piece of paper in his hand. 

Mark frowns and slowly opens his hand, looking down at the digits on the slip of paper. It’s quite obvious what it is but Mark still looks at Howard, eyes full of questions. 

“You wanted his number,” Howard explains. “Please don’t tell Gary I have it though,” he pleads, biting his lip. “He’s still quite hurt you know, he still doesn’t understand why he left.”

Mark nods, smiling at his friend. He can’t help but wonder if that really is the reason Howard wants to keep this from Gary but he knows better than to push it and thanks his friend as he leaves. And then Mark only has one choice. 

He pulls his phone out and dials the digits like his life depends on it. Hands shaking, he prays beyond all hope that Jason answers, that Howard did really have the right number. It only rings once and there he is. 

“Hello?” It’s unmistakable that it’s Jason; he’s soft voice, warm and reassuring as ever. It makes Mark’s heart melt a bit because no matter how reclusive he wants to be he’s already ready to pick up his phone for a chat, no matter who might be calling. Mark forgets that he’s supposed to say something; he’s too busy trying not to cry. “Hello?” Jason tries again, clearly thinking that some weird stalker has somehow got his number when all he can hear down the phone is heavy breathing. 

He’s smarter than that though and when Mark lets out a little sigh, just to try and get his voice working; he instantly knows who it is. “Mark? Is that you?” 

“Yes,” he swallows, trying his best to not sound like an idiot. “It’s me,” he squeaks, his heart ready to burst because Jason does remember him, hasn’t forgotten the past despite how much he might want to. “I hope you don’t mind, Howard gave me your number.” 

“Of course not!” Jason laughs down the phone, and he means it, Mark knows he does because Jason was always sincere with his words, he’s pretty certain if he didn’t want to talk to him he would kindly tell Mark to bugger off, only in probably a much more eloquent way. “How have you been?”

“Erm...” fuck how has he been? Truth be told not good, he wants to tell him how much he misses him and that he loves him and would he please just come back. “Good.” Coward. “Do you think I could see you? Where are you?”

“Where I’ve always been mate.” 

“Thailand?” Mark frowns. 

Jason laughs, “try a bit more local mate. I’m in Manchester, although I do love Thailand. Are you still on tour?”

And that throws Mark for a loop because he really didn’t think Jay cared what the band did, the fact he knew they were still touring baffles him. “Yeah, I’m in Birmingham.” 

“You got a show tomorrow?”

“No, night off.”

“Well I’ll get the train to you, come and see you.” 

“Really?” Mark asked, sounding a bit more desperate than he wanted. 

“Yeah, I won’t be able to get there till the evening though. Got a few errands to run.” 

“Of course,” Mark gulps. “Let me get you the name of the hotel we’re in.” 

“Do me a favour?” Jason asks, “don’t tell the others yeah?”

“Yeah.”

*** 

The next day drives out so long. Mark knows Jason is coming, he re confirmed it this morning when he got a text from him telling him what time his train got in and that he’d be at the hotel at about half nine. What Mark was actually going to say to him he had no clue. 

It’s a day off so Mark tells Howard and Gary he just wants to chill out on his own for a bit, causing a slight frown from Gary because when they are on tour they always spend every minute they can together because when they have their break afterwards it’s very rare they all work their schedules to spend time together all at once but he doesn’t say anything.

He spends all day just in his hotel room, pacing the floor. Trying to not get too worked up. He showers and has a quick shave, letting his now long hair naturally dry and rest where it wants to. He almost jumps out of his skin when the time finally comes and there’s a knock on his door. 

He opens and as promised there is Jason Orange stood in front of him, a bit more grey in his hair and a few more wrinkles, a bit of a beard but still unmistakable Jason. He brings him into the room in a massive hug, kicking the door shut with his foot, hanging on for dear life. 

Jason laughs as Mark squeezes him, not wanting to let go. “You alright there Markie?”

“I missed you,” he answers honestly, the height difference letting his head fit neatly into the older man’s chest and he just breathes his scent in. “Did you have any trouble getting here?” 

“Nah,” Jason shakes his head, still holding onto Mark because it’s quite obvious he doesn’t want to let go anymore. “Nobody recognizes me anymore, except maybe the die hards.” 

That makes Mark sad but he knows it’s true. It’s so easy for Jason to blend into the background, because as gorgeous as he is all he has to do is grow a beard and he can end up looking like just a normal bloke, where as poor Mark and Gary get recognized everywhere they go. Howard not so much. 

“Are you ok Mark?” He asks; finally letting him go, worry on his face. 

 

“No,” Mark answers honestly. He looks up at Jason, into those beautiful blue eyes of his and almost whimpers, what on earth does he do now? “I need you.”

“Need me how?” 

And then the shit hits the fan because the next thing he knows their kissing, desperate, at least on his part. Clothes are being thrown all other the place and before he can blink Mark is thrown onto the bed with Jason hungrily on top of him, grinding down against him. And Mark still thinks he’s not into blokes but when Jason puts his fingers there and his tongue there he wonders why on earth he never thought to do anything like this before. But of course it had to be Jason. Always Jason. 

When it’s all over they lie in a sweaty sticky mess, Mark is panting hard. Worn out because it really had been a long time while Jason just smiles, slowly running his fingers up and down Mark’s arm, trying to calm him down. “That was amazing.” 

“I’m glad you liked it,” Jason smirks; clearly he knew what he was doing. He brings Mark close to him; placing his head on his chest so Mark can hear his heart beating. It’s going quite fast and Mark thinks that Jason’s cool attitude is just an act but he doesn’t say anything, just snuggles in closer, knowing he made him feel like that. “Is that why you wanted to see me? A quick fuck?”

“No,” Mark answers immediately, he wants to look Jason in the eye but doesn’t move, quite content just half lying on top of him, having Jay’s fingers run through his hair. “I’ve never done that with a man before.”

“Oh.” Jason stills his hand, clearly surprised by that answer. “I’m sorry Mark, you should have said.” 

“But I wanted to,” he explains. “With you.” 

It’s a very honest answer, Mark knows he would never do anything like that with any other man, but would gladly do it again with Jay in a heartbeat and he begins to understand Howard and Gary a bit more. Because certain bonds and ties are about more than friendship. He sighs content as Jason’s hand resumes it’s stroking of his hair. 

“I like you with long hair.”

“Thanks,” Mark smiles, “you know I’d leave if you wanted me to?” He sits up now, looking at Jay. “I’ll leave Take That and we can just run away together.” Because that was so Mark, putting other people’s needs before his own. 

“Don’t be daft,” but Jason smiles as he says it. “You love that band, I know you do.”

“I love you.”

The room goes very quiet then and Mark thinks he’s blown it completely when Jason reaches out, pulling him forward into the most careful and protective way, giving him a soft and gentle kiss. “I love you too.” 

And that was all that mattered because in the end, Mark thinks as he begins to drift off to sleep; they are never going to be just a three piece band. Not when Jason is in his heart.


End file.
